title: Development and validation of the Chinese Health Literacy Scale for Chronic Care.
abstract: This study aims to develop and test the psychometric properties of the Chinese Health Literacy Scale for Chronic Care (CHLCC). This is a methodological study with a sample of 262 patients 65 years of age and older who had chronic illnesses. Pearson's correlation, independent sample t tests, and analyses of variance were used. The CHLCC showed a significant positive correlation with Chinese literacy levels (r = 0.80; p < .001) but was negatively correlated with age (r =-0.31; p <.001). Respondents who were male (t =4.34; p <.001) and who had reached Grade 12 or higher in school (F = 51.80; p <.001) had higher CHLCC scores than did their counterparts. Individuals with high levels of health literacy had fewer hospitalizations than did their counterparts (β =-0.31; incidence rate ratio = 0.73; p <.05). The CHLCC also displayed good internal reliability (Cronbach'sα =0.91) and good test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.77; p <.01). The CHLCC is a valid and reliable measure for assessing health literacy among Chinese patients with chronic illness. The scale could be used by practitioners before implementing health promotion and education.
authors.affiliation: a School of Nursing, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine , The University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong SAR , China.
authors.forename: Angela Yee Man
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Mike Kwun Ting
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Vivian Wei Qun
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.forename: Felix Hon Wai
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Celina Kit Yee
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Tsui Ling
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Do
authors.forename: Sophia Siu Chee
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002681:China; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D057220:Health Literacy; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results